Tendulkar device a new strategy

The most important comparison is the number of centuries scored in the second innings. Out of six centuries scored by Ponting five resulted in Australia winning Test matches. That’s 83 per cent. Inzamam had four winning matches out of six centuries — the percentage is 66 but while
Tendulkar scored ten centuries, only three saw India win matches. The percentage is 30. If the styles of these three batsmen are compared, aggression is a common factor but why Tendulkar is not able to convert his second innings centuries into winning ones is something very intriguing looking at the class that he possesses. Is it because of the load of expectations of the country that agitates his mental make-up or perhaps he is unable to handle pressure in the middle? If one argues that Ponting played for a stronger team, Inzamam certainly didn’t. It was late in his career that Mohd. Yusuf and Yunus Khan added strength to the batting line-up. In Tendulkar’s case he seemed to enjoy his first innings batting rather than second innings. Apart from the first few years, Tendulkar had the support of Azharuddin, Dravid and Ganguly. Later Laxman and Sehwag joined to make the batting line-up strong. Kapil Dev feels that Tendulkar seems to think that the more he accumulates runs, the more he will be comfortable, but in cricket when you change your approach you are inviting trouble. Tendulkar on the other hand has gone on record saying that people shouldn’t expect him to do what he was doing a decade ago. Though one has to agree with Tendulkar’s comment, the fact is that he is unable to do justice to his class by not getting India to win more matches. This is definitely not a blot on his career but not scoring a triple hundred and not increasing the percentage of the winning matches calls for some introspection before the new season begins.

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